New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-03
HALF-HOLIDAY TALK.
aow SATURDAY AFTERNOONS ARE SPENT

Row SATURDAY AFTERNOONS ARE SPENT.
sHE CHANCES OF HOLDING OUT THE YEAR ROUND
VIEWS OF BUSINESS MEN.
r The Saturday Half-H oIday Law has been 10 force
now long enough, perhaps, tor fair estimate OF us
practical workings and its chances of complete sue
cess As an admirable and mach-needed reform, the
whole matter OF early closing has been fully com
mAnted on from time to time IN THE TRIBUNE
And now that the Law has passed and everything
has run along smoothly ough through the first six
weeks some matter Of faot inquiries as to its
whom the movement has chiefly affected, now the
extra half day is spent this scorching weather. ana
what its chances Of maintaining itself against the
rush of business in the fall again-may prove DOTH
timely and interesting.
Senator Reily's bill 1t must be remembered was
the merest form of suggestion. 1t simply provioea
that the State. county and city offices should DO
at noon on SATURDAYS and that all ordinary pahK
bus,ness sbould stop then There MSS NO restriction
Whatever on general trade and the whole mater OF
shortening hours except tar as 1t was aneoteo ny
the closing of the banks lett just where ~ WIS
before in the hands of the employers themselves
More was expected, perhaps, OF this sKeieton oi
law than its provisions could warrant IL was
thought tor instance that merely to call Saturday
afternoon legal hslf-hoday was to put IL as
seeurey beyond the clutch of business the year round
A the 22d of February or tho Fourth Of July Such
of course has not been the There has Deen no
Q0leral StOpUaR6
The new arrangement even if il were generally ac-
cepted aud carried out would still leave unaffected
the vast majority Of workmen, skilled and unskiiieo
laborers factory bands artisans, all VINO Draw pay Ny
he day or piece and not by salaries 10 them tne
hslf-holday means simply the loss Of full days pay
And 40 tho real bepess of the new law will be found
70 fall chiefly to the salsred employees bookkeepers
clerks and shop girls in Wholesale and retail business
houses.
This Is no reason for quarrslling with the REFORM
however which within these limits has been 80 lar
consvicuous success. It piece OF good fortune
for the bill that il passed and was signed 30 late In
May and went into effect just when tho Inducements
to observe it were strongest There Is no better nan
holiday argument than the scorchng heat OF inc oi'y
in summer and there is no time when business Is
duller than the beginning OF dog days. 80 Win every
thing to favor II and nothing to oppose, the carry
closing movement won easy victory. Inere is
scarcely a single high-class business house, ei1ner
wholesale or retail open now on Saturday afternoons
and there will be disposition to question ING
reform for fully three months 10 come
With the end of the dog days, however, the early
closing movement will Its strongest undefprop.
When the tide of business floods again in October and
November it is easy to see that there Will De tug VI
war. The employers themselves as pooy are
strongly against half holiday the year round Inc
mass of working people, socalled. are inaneren. or
hostile Saturday is their chief shopping day and the
habit of buying late is ingraned one The CLERKS
themselves are for the most part enthusiastic Tor
continuance of the half holiday But the chances are
that they will lose it unless the better class OF shop
pers wellmeaning generally, but OFTEN careless anu
neglectful keep away as resolutey from the stores
on Saturday afternoon next fall as they have done
heretofore by spells under the prayers and urggs OF
the energetic Half Holiday Association
1t is bard to figure out just how many people are
now enjoying the extra halliday that the new law
mildly allows for. The Half Holiday Associations
Cor fba Hrsf afu under the Reilly Dill
were $4,000. That was in May, when scarcely hall
as II any stores closed early as do now far guess
Mt the plumber Of employees who get on now az noon
on Saturday would be- perhaps. 100000 ANY one
who to watch tt ferries and railroad stations
from p. m to p. that day. or takes run out OF
town TO some race or baseball game park or beach
win probably multiply these figures by two or three
There can be no doubt about the enormous crowds
who hurry out of town or Oh TO amuse themselves
between Saturday noon and midnight baseball
game at the Poio Grounds will draw something like
IL, 900 spectators. Other days there are but 1000
or 5000 The COT rse at Sheepshead Bay will be
pverrun by mob Of 900 more, when there are
seats enough in the grand stand for all at other times
Even down on Staten Island where the Metopolitans
lose game after game during the week with only 300
or 200 spectators Saturday afternoon will see the
bleaching boards crowded with enthusiasts away up
among the thousands
A great many moro clerks than usual have gone out
into the country this year with their families and most
of them are willing to credit the half-holday law
with the change. As one of the men in James Nc
Creerys put it, the new law gave the men In eHect an
extra week of vacation
We have the halliday all through the hot months
for certain and may have it longer The extra hours
for July and August make nearly week, and would
rather have week that way than all IN q bunch 1
went out into the country with my family this year to
try 1t and find it works to a charm. 1 get home on
saturdays about p. M. and have practically two
DAYS Of The mornings In town aren't so bad The
hot afternoons are much more trying. take Satur-
days at home chiefly So do most of the married men.
The younger fellows go about equally to the races
and baseball matches for sport But yOu can't follow
half of them There's DUMMY across the street He
can probably tell you something about the races"
DUMMY had been to Shespshead Bay two or three
times and launched of gayly. @Oh, yes, 60 down
occasionally and try q 'fver' or two on the races
Dou't know whether great many clerks do 1t. see
fellows know often. Too much sport to be iookn'
around for acquaintances'
Il wasn't hard to find O baseball enthusiast. He
went 10 the Polo Grounds when the New-forks were
at home He liked the sail down to Staten Island,
but wouldn't 90 over to see the Brooyns play under
any circumstances.
Pm bull on New-York and bear on Boston. Here
ara nv figures for the cham pionship Chicago New
York Detroit, Boston. Pm playing that for COM
bination. Don't care for baseball YOURSELF do.
Never had chance to the games either till the
early closing came in. Like to see it last through
October anyway. Then don't care much after the
haseball seasons over. Lots of 60 to the ball
matches. Saturday the day We turn out strong L
don't see how we could do now without the haf-holi-
day." go s~..
A Young married man who lives In town gava some
idea OF his Saturdays follows: 60 up on the Har
lem generally and take spin up to High Bridge and
hack Then take u bath off the clubhouse doat 1t
there are any races games, 80 to see them and
often stay round for hour or two watching the
crews ON the river row. may take dinner at the
clubhouse uptown or may come home early. These
hot days am satisfied TO keep COOL haven't much
lasa what should do In winter unless I should 60
into gymnasium work or something of that sort to
put in the time"
Many of the men who get off 60 to the nearer water
ing places Saturday and Sunday disappearing as
distinctive class in the general rush OF business men